Kevin Cash
Kevin Forrest Cash (born on December 6, 1977 in ) is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Boston Red Sox. Cash played a total of 101 games from to with the Toronto Blue Jays, and he joined the Devil Rays in . Cash played college baseball for the Florida State University Seminoles under head coach Mike Martin. He is a career .171 hitter, and he bats and throws right-handed. In the summer of 1999, he played for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. On April 5, the Devil Rays designated Cash for assignment, and after clearing waivers, reported to AAA Durham where he spent the entire 2006 season. Cash signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox on January 24, . On August 17, 2007, Red Sox backup catcher Doug Mirabelli pulled a calf muscle rounding third base in the first game of a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Cash was flown to Boston from Ottawa (where the Pawtucket Red Sox were playing the Ottawa Lynx) to catch in the nightcap of the doubleheader. He made it to Fenway Park after the game had started. He started the game on August 19 against the Angels. On November 2, 2007, Cash opted for free agency after refusing to accept an outright assignment to AAA Pawtucket. On December 13, 2007, Cash resigned with the Red Sox to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. On March 25, , Cash's contract was purchased. He acted as the personal catcher for knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield after Doug Mirabelli left the Sox. He was also notable for wearing his plastic catcher's cap forward (similar to how a field player wears a normal baseball cap) under his mask; normally, catchers will turn the cap around to provide stability for their mask. In Boston, Cash wore the uniform number 36, except from August 16, to the end of the 2008 season, due to Paul Byrd's joining the Red Sox and wearing his customary number 36. During this period, Cash switched to number 30. On December 12, , Cash was non-tendered by the Red Sox, officially making him a free agent.http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/12/sox_pass_on_cas.html On December 23, 2008, Cash signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees with an invitation to spring training.http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/st/archives/2008/12/yanks_sign_cash.html He began the season with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. On May 8, Cash was called up due to injuries to both Jorge Posada and José Molina. He was optioned to AAA Scranton on May 29, 2009 and was placed on the disabled list to undergo surgery for a torn rotator cuff. Released by the New York Yankees organization on September 5, 2009, Cash announced his retirement from baseball. However, he soon changed his mind, and on January 22, 2010, Cash signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros. On May 5, 2010, he was called up to the Astros to replace a struggling J. R. Towles. On July 1, 2010, Cash was acquired by the Boston Red Sox for Ángel Sánchez after Jason Varitek went on the disabled list. Awards and honors *1999 College World Series - Tallahassee Regional MVP *2001 Florida State League All-Star Team *2002 All-Star Futures Game References See also * Tampa Bay Rays all-time roster External links * Category:Boston Red Sox players Category:Tampa Bay Devil Rays players Category:Toronto Blue Jays players Category:Durham Bulls players Category:Pawtucket Red Sox players Category:2007 Boston Red Sox World Series Championship Team Category:Major league catchers Category:All-Star Futures Game players Category:Florida State Seminoles players Category:Major league players from Florida Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Players Category:Catchers Category:Houston Astros players Category:Round Rock Express players Category:Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees players Category:New York Yankees players Category:Hagerstown Suns players Category:Dunedin Blue Jays players Category:Syracuse SkyChiefs players Category:Tennessee Smokies players Category:Durham Bulls players